Automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus



(No Modl.)

' sented Aug. 2, 188'7.

NVENTCI Vgl.

E ChoxGwo/ N. PETERS. Phmn-Lithngnpher. washington, D4 C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALMON M. GRANG-EIt, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part or' Letters Patent No. 367,390, datedAugust 2, 1887.

Application filed April 25, 18785.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: v

Be it known that LALMON M. GRANGER, of Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain 5 nnew and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide improved means for lexcluding Water from a system of automatic sprinkler-pipes until it is required for use, and then to admit it auto-l matically to the pipes and permit it to find its way quickly to the points of discharge.

To theseends the invention consists as a whole in an automatic sprinkler system or apparatus consisting of a pipe or pipes having sprinklers the valves of which are held closed by fusible fastenings and are automatically opened when said fastenings are released, -means for exhausting the air from said pipes, an automatically-opening valve which is held by a retaining device to exclude Water from said pipes and maintain a vacuum therein,and a diaphragm or piston which is held by atmospheric pressure while said vacuumis maintained, andY means, hereinafter described, which are held by the diaphragm, and upon the release of the latter by the partial breaking of the vacuum release the valve and allow 'it to admit water to the pipes and sprinklers.

The invention also consists in an automatic trap which is operated by the water entering the sprinkler-pipes to vdisconnect them from the air-exhausting apparatus.

The invention also consists in certain details, all of which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying` drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l represents an elevation of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a different elevation of the valve controlling theadmission of water to the sprinkler-pipes and its operating devices. Fig. 3 represents a section on .1,5 line w, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a sectional view of the automatic trap. Fig. 5 represents a sectional view of one of the automatic sprinklers. Fig. 6 represents a sectional view ofthe diaphragm-chamber.

The same'letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thegures. l

In the drawings, a represents a main con- Serial No. 163,423. (No model.)

' ducting-pipe communicating with a suitable system or series of branch-pipes, c', which are provided with automaticsprinklers b I), hereinafter described, said pipes a being located in any suitable part of an apartment or building to be protected, while the pipe a comuninicates with a source of water-supply. Ata suitable point in thev pipe c is a valve, c, adapted to shut off or admit the water. The stem c of said valve is provided with a drum or pulley, d, on which is Wound a cord or chain, c, having a weight,f, which, when free to act, rotates the valve, so as to open it and admit water to the sprinkler-pipes c. f

g represents an air-pipe communicating with the pipe c between the valvecand the sprinklers, said pipe being connected with an airexhausting apparatus-such as a steam-ejector,

E,or other apparatus--whereby air may be eX- hausted from the pipes c a. A vacuum-pu mp, h, may also be provided for use in emergencies.l With the pipe g is connected a cham# ber, fi, having for its bottom a iieXible diaphragm, i. Said diaphragm supports a weightedrod, j, havingashouldero'rcollar,j. When the air is exhausted" from the pipes a c the diaphragm is raised, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, by atmospheric pressure, and holds the rod j in a raised position. When air is admitted into saidpipes andthe so called vacuum is partially broken, as hereinafter described, the diaphragm t" and rod y' `fall, and the shoulder j. strikes the rear end of a pivoted dog or pawl, lc,which is engaged with a ratchet, Z, on the valve-stem, c,to hold the valve closed,and disengages said dog from the ratchet, whereupon the weightf falls and rotates the valve, thus admitting water to the pipes a a. The admission of air into the pipes c c is effected by the opening of one or more of the sprinkler-valves caused by a rise in the temperature in the neighborhood of such sprinkler or sprinklers. ,Each sprinkler has a nozzle, m,

connected to a pipe, c', and a valve, c, which is normally held against the nozzle by holding devices secured by a fastening that fuses at a comparatively low degree of heat. The valve is provided with a spring, o, which forces it away from the nozzle when the` fusible fastening gives way, thus preventing the valve from adhering to its seat by atmospheric pressure resulting from the vacuum in the pipes. Said roo spring is here shown as placed upon a rod,

which slides in a bridge or guide in the nozzle and bears against the valve, the spring bearing at one end on a shoulder on the rod and at the other on a guide. In the present instance I have shown the valve supported by a stud, p, bearing on a lever, q, which is pivoted to the frame ot' the sprinkler, and is secured thereto at its outer end by a link, r, of fusible metal. Vhen said link is ruptured by heat, the lever and stud drop, and the spring 0 forces the valve down with the stud.

It will be seen that when the valve e is closed and the air is exhaustedV from the pipes the conditions are favorable for the quick open ing of the valve and the rapid flow of water through the pipes, the movement of the incoming water being facilitated by the degree of vacuum in the pipes. The pipes may therefore be kept empty until their use is required, thus avoiding danger of clogging and bursting by the freezing'ot the water in cold weather, as well as the rust and corrosion which attend the long-continued presence of water in iron pipes.

To prevent the water from passing into the air-pipe g when admitted to the pipes a a', I provide a trap consisting of a casing, s, communicating with both the pipe a and the airpipe, the connection with the pipe a being with the lower portion ofthe easing while the air-pipe communicates with its upper portion, as shown in Figs. 1 and \Vithin the easing is a pivoted valve, f, to which is attached a float-lever, a. \Vhen a smallquautity of water (not enough to reach the air-pipe g) has accumulated in the easing s, the float rises and closes the valve t against theend'ef the passage e from the pipe (l, thus shutting off the water and preventing it from reaching the air-exhausting apparatus. The water thus accumulating in the easing s may be released by a cock, u'.

y represents a stand pipe, thirty-two feet or less in height, connected at its upper end by a pipe, y', with the air-pipe lr/,and adapted to contain a column of water. Then the air is exhausted from the pipes a e', said column, supported by atmospheric pressure, acts as an exhausting-piston having a constant tendency to maintain the vacuum in the pipes a a,or,in other words, to keep a uniform degree of vacuum in said pipes, any small quantities of air admitted to the pipes by vleakage being prevented by said water column from decreasing the vacuum sufficiently to cause the release ofthe diaph ragni. The pipe is provided near its upper end with a reservoir or enlargement, 2/2, which prevents the height of the column from being too rapidly decreased by the introduction of air by leakage.

The exhausting-pressure exerted by the column of water 011 the sprinkler system of piping is directly proportioned to the height of the column, said pressure being one pound for everY two feet of the height ol" the column. The enlargement or reservoir enables a considerable introduction of' air by leakage before the height of the column is so reduced that it is incapable of maintaining the degree of rarification inthe pipes c a required to hol d the diaphragm in its raised position. The height of the water column is preferably twenty-eight feet when the air is first exhausted from the pipes a a', thus giving an exhausting-pressm'e of fourteen` pounds. I prefer to weight the diaphragm i, so that it will fall when the water falls two feet in the reservoir, thus reducing the exhausting-pressuse ofthe water column to thi rteeu pounds.

rIhe capacity ofthe reservoir y2 is such that a considerable length of time will be required for the admission ot' air by leakage in sullicient quantity to cause the above specified reduction in the height ofthe column, so that if the vacuum-gage gj connected with the air-pipe,

be watched and care be taken to exhaust the air as the pressure becomes reduced by leakage, danger of the admission of water to the pipes when the need thereof does not exist will be avoided. rIlhe quantity of air admitted by the opening of one or more of the sprinklervalves is sufficient, however, to immediately cause the required reduction in the heightiof the water-column without wholly breaking the vacuum in the sprinkler system, the trap being closed by the entering water, thus dis connecting the stand-pipe from the system of sprinklerpipes, leaving them in a state of partial vacuum, so that the water enters them more readily than if they contained air under ordinary atmospheric pressure.

The pipe y', which connects the standpipe with the air-pipe g, should extend upwardly above the height which the water-column can attain, so that the water cannot be drawn from the stand-pipe through the pipe y.

T represents a tank communicating with thelower end of the stand-pipe and receiving water therefrom when the column falls, and supplying water to raise the column.

If desired, the air may be exhausted from the pipes et a by first filling the reservoir y2 with water and then allowing it to fall through the stand-pipe, the water in falling acting as an exhausting'piston. In this case the standpipe should have a valve at V to retain the water in the reservoir until it is filled, and the reservoir should have a valved water-supply pipe, l?, and a vent for the escape of air while it is being filled. The hub of the pulley d has a screw or stud, d', projecting into a slot, c', extending partly around the valve-stein c. (See Fig. 3.) lVhen the valve is closed, the stud d is at the upper en d of said slot, as shown, but when the pulley is released the slot enables the pulley to be partially rotated before it strikes the other end. of the slot e' and moves the valve with it. The weight thus acquires sufficient impetus to cause the stud d to strike the end ofthe slot with considerable force, and thus insure the starting of the valve in ease it sticks to its seat or casing.

lVater may be raised in the stand-pipe by ICO 'sprinklers the valves of which are closed by fusible fastenin gs and are automatically opened when said fasteniugs are released, means for exhausting the air from said pipes, an automatically-opening valve which is held by a retaining device to exclude Water from said pipes and maintain a vacuumtherein, and a diaphragm or piston which is held by. atmospheric pressure while said vacuum is maintained, and means, substantially as described,

which are held by the diaphragm, and upon the release ofthe latter by the breaking of the. vacuum release the valve and allow it to admit waterto the pipes, as set forth.

2. The combination, with an automatic sprinkler pipe or pipes and means for exhausting air therefrom, of an automatically-opening valve which controls-the admission of water to said pipes, locking devices held by atmospheric pressure to keep said valve closed while a vacuum is maintained in said pipes, and a trap which is operated by Water entering said sprinkler-pipes to shut off the connection between saidsprinkler-pipes and the air-exhaust. ing apparatus when the vacuum is broken, as set forth.

3. Thestaud-pipe connected to the automatic sprinkler-pipes and provided with a reservoir` or enlargement at or near its upper end, as set forth.

4. The combination, with the main sprinklersupply pipe having a. valve provided with an automatic opening device, of an air-pipe connecting said pipe with an air-exhausting appa` ratusJ a chamber having a ilexible diaphragm connected with said air-pipe, a dog engaged with a ratchet ou the stem of the valve to hold the latter closed, and a weighted rod connected with said diaphragm and-held in suspension by atmospheric pressure thereon while the vacuum is maintained and allowed to fall and release the valve when the vacuum is broken, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the automatic sprinkler-pipe and the valve holding and releasing devices, of the rotary valve having on its arbor the weighted drum or pulley which is free to make a partial independent rotation before engaging vand rotating said stem, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of a series of water-supply pipe or pipes having automatic sprinklers, means for exhausting air from. said pipes, a weighted diaphragm supported by atmospheric pressure when the air isexhausted from said pipes and allowed to fall by the admission of air in given quantity to said pipes, a valve in the main water-supply pipe,provided with an automatic opening device which is held to keep the valve closed by a detent controlled by said diaphragm, and a stand-pipe containing a column of water which acts as an exhausting-piston to maintain the vacuum in thepipes and to support the diaphragm until a given reduction in the height of the column is caused by the introduction of air into the water-supply pipes, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name i to this speciiicatiomin the presence of two sub- 

